Its alot of Information to write so I thought Id just contribute one;
Meningitis is one of the most serious infections you can have. It is also one of the scariest understandably, since untreated, some forms of meningitis can cause death or lasting impairment.
The meninges are membranes that enclose the brain and spinal cord. There are actually three layers of membrane: the "dura", which is a tough outer layer; the "arachnoid", which is a lacy, web-like middle layer; and the "pia", which is a delicate, fibrous inner layer containing many of the blood vessels that feed the brain and cord.
Meningitis, strictly speaking, is an inflammation of the meninges.
the most common cause of meningeal inflammation is irritation caused by infection with bacteria or viruses. These organisms usually enter the meninges through the bloodstream from other parts of the body. Many meningitis-causing bacteria are carried in the nose and throat, often without the carrier having symptoms.
Viral meningeal infections are usually (but not always) less severe than bacterial infections. This is quite fortunate, since there are no antibiotic treatments available for most viruses and we must therefore let viral meningitis run its course by itself.
Bacterial meningitis, on the other hand, must be treated with antibiotics in most cases to avoid severe consequences. Unfortunately the only way to confirm that meningitis is not bacterial is to culture the spinal fluid and see if there are bacteria in it. This can take 2-5 days. Since a bacterial meningitis can do a LOT of damage in 2-5 days, antibiotics is given immediately after doing the spinal tap and keep giving the antibiotics until the culture has shown no bacteria for 2-5 days.
Since inflammation and resulting swelling seem to be the main cause of brain damage from meningitis, steroids have been used in some cases to help lessen the inflammation. Steroids usually are given along with antibiotics or just before the antibiotics are given, and may not be appropriate in all cases of meningitis.
2006-09-26 02:27:56
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answer #1
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answered by psycgirl25 4
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